number21custom1R/Rweight225positionRHPhighschoolDreher H.S.first_nameMasonyearSeniorhometownColumbia, S.C.height6-5last_nameSmithGeneral: Experienced, senior right-hander who will help anchor Furman' s weekend starting rotation...will likely throw on Saturdays...has taken up a much-needed team leadership role over the past year...will serve as a team co-captain this year along with Bobby Hubbard...stands as a big key to potential team success...should benefit with expected squad offensive improvement and run support...throws a fastball, slider, and changeup. 2007 -- Struggled through a difficult season, going 2-7 with a 7.34 ERA...served as Sunday starter...made 15 appearances and 13 starts...averaged only 4.09 innings per start...went 0-4 in his first six starts due, in part, to weak offensive support as Furman scored just 21 total runs in that span... pitched well in an eventual 4-1 Paladin defeat to Austin Peay (7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)...picked up his first win a week later against Georgia Southern (6-1) with season's top performance (7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)... six strikeouts vs. GSU marked season high outing and helped complete a three-game road sweep of the Eagles...earned his second with in 11-2 victory at Elon (5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K). 2006 -- Put together a solid campaign as part of the Paladins' three-man weekend starting rotation...posted a 3-4 record with a 4.30 ERA...registered 15 appearances, including 14 starts...tossed 67.0 innings...was especially effective in SoCon action, going 2-2 with an outstanding 1.74 ERA...worked 41.1 innings, allowing 37 hits, eight earned runs ,and 11 walks while striking out 25 against league competition, which hit .243 against him...played a key role in Furman posting a 32-23 record and 16-11 SoCon mark good for a third place league finish...32 wins matched a program season high...4.45 team ERA ranked third in the SoCon...earned his first league victory in a 6-0 triumph over Davidson (5.2 IP, 7 H, 0 E, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)....other conference win came in 17-4 decision versus Wofford (5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)...tossed a season best 6 2/3 innings (5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) in an eventual 5-4 win over No. 21-ranked and eventual SoCon Tournament champion College of Charleston. 2005 -- Appeared in nine games and made one start...went 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA over just 14.0 innings...only decision came in relief in a 3-2 setback at Jacksonville State (0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB)...registered his lone start in eventual 4-2 victory over Charleston Southern (3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB)...played with Spartanburg of the Coastal Plains League, posting a 3-2 record with a 2.90 ERA over 40 1/3 innings.High School: 2004 graduate of Dreher (3A) High School...baseball coach was Pete Guyton...pitched and played first base...went 7-3 with a 2.37 ERA and one save in 2004 to help Dreher to a 14-10 record and state playoffs...served as a team captain and captured all-region honors...batted .325 with a team leading five home runs and 11 doubles in 2004...also served as starting quarterback and team captain of Dreher's football team...National Honor Society.Personal: Full name is Mason Mark Smith...son of John Smith and Jane Mason...born November 8, 1985, in Columbia, South Carolina...has a sister, Mary Catherine...political science major.